The Cradle
by Cha-Cha
Summary: Set years in the future, as Chris and Buck carve a cradle together, they reflect on their friendship over the years, the changes they've been through, and how their family has evolved. Chris and Buck Frienship fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Author: Cha-Cha**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the show nor the characters so please do not sue.**

**A/N: This story was written for Millie2077 who wanted a long friendship story between Buck and Chris. I hope this is what you were hoping for! It is a WIP, so it may take a while for this to be finished. This story is also a future fic and Vin, Josiah and Ezra are married to OC's, however, they are more mentioned rather than participating in the story. Enjoy!**

'Ezra's going to be a daddy.' Those were the first words out of Bucks mouth as he entered the shed where Chris was working.

After Casey and JD had tied the knot, and Nathan and Rain had also married, Chris had offered the other men of the Magnificent Seven to come and build houses on his stretch of land so they could expand their families. It would allow them to still protect the town as they were not far away, and yet allow them the freedom to be themselves away from the scrutiny of the town.

While the townsfolk had come to accept the Seven over the years, they were still regarded as dangerous and Gunslingers. None of them wanted their children to grow up in the kind of environment. At Chris' offer, Ezra had immediately bought up several tracts of land around Chris' property, as had Buck, allowing them to build a successful ranch that Chris, Buck, JD, Casey and Vin ran, while Ezra and Nathan made frequent trips to the town so Ezra could run his saloon and Nathan his practice.

Slowly over the years, some of the other men had married and their wives had moved onto the land. Vin had been first with a very quiet school lady followed soon after by Josiah who married a widow with three of her own children. The children had soon followed three of the couple and the ranch thrived even more as they became one very close knit family with plenty of extended parents.

Their houses were all clustered together on the land and it wasn't unusual for the children to run between them all. Dinners were normally held by one of the women in the evenings or if was a special Sunday Chris would cook them some of Sarah's old recipes.

Buck had a permanent ban on cooking, so he provided breakfast every morning in his house. It was an event no one missed unless Nathan had been visiting a patient or Ezra had a very late night, which was becoming rarer and rarer. He'd begun to join them for breakfast more regularly after the men had begun to send the children after him until he conceded. He now found it easier just to turn up.

Ezra had been the last to marry; only the year before to a woman his mother would have been horrified at if he had 'remembered' to tell her. She was a strict tomboy, even more so than Casey who had mostly started to become more ladylike, and far worse than that, she had no money; however it was a happy marriage.

Chris and Buck were the only two unmarried, a situation the other wives tried to change their minds on from time to time but Chris always maintained with an air of sadness he was still married while Buck just grinned slightly too much and claimed there were still too many women for him to see before he could settle on one. The two men always shared a look after those conversations, but no more was ever said.

'I heard. Nate suspects twins.' Chris didn't look up from where he was inspecting a large lump of wood.

'That crib we made for JD and Casey's little 'un won't be able to hold both,' Buck sat down beside his friend and picked up one of the knives. The crib the two men had made those years ago had held every child born on the ranch, JD and Casey's three, Nathan and Rains' two and Vin and Hannah's two children as a sign of good luck. However, these were the first twins to be born as well as the first time there would be two infants who needed a crib at the same time. While there had been a few close calls, they had always managed to pass the crib on in time for the next child. The only thing that changed was the blankets as the women always made a personalised one for each child.

'I was thinking, instead of animals for this one, maybe we put a deck of cards around it in honour of the saloon and Ezra's card games.' Chris suggested. There was no question they were going to make another one. These children were family. The first crib they had made together was a plain wood crib until you got to the middle on the outside where animals were holding tails as it went around the outside. It had taken them weeks to complete, but the finished product was stunning.

'Sounds good pard.'

'You going to tell anyone you were part of this gift this time?' Chris finally asked as they began work on the wood, plotting where they would carve.

'Why? Not as though they need to know I can work with wood, that's your skill pard. I just work with ladies!' Buck waggled his eyebrows causing Chris to very uncharacteristically roll his eyes. Age had mellowed him. Slightly.

'No, it's a skill you taught me. Just think they'd like to know.'

'Maybe,' Buck shrugged but Chris could tell he was thinking about it. There wasn't a reason they hadn't told anyone everyone had just assumed Chris had made it. The subject had been quickly changed as JD and Casey had thanked Chris and then the moment had been gone. The subject hadn't come up again. 'Besides, then we'd have to tell everyone how we met!' Buck paused dramatically before adding 'Pig.'

'_Is that going to be a horse?' Buck spun at the sound of the young voice behind him, pausing in his carving. He had only just started this piece but the shape was already starting to show. The voice belonged to one of the new hands, he was pretty sure the boys name was Chris but he wasn't completely sure._

'_Yeah. Good inspiration 'round here.' Buck gave a careless shrug and restarted his carving, he wasn't particularly interested in small talk at that moment, it had been a long week on the ranch and this was the first moment he'd had to himself for quite a while. While he was normally a people person, even he needed some time alone sometimes._

_Instead of taking the rebuff as it was intended, the boy took it all in stride and instead of interrupting anymore, walked in front of him, and sat the ground, just watching him._

_Without looking up, he took in the features of the boy in front of him; he looked as though he'd had a hard life, but then which one of them hadn't? His eyes seemed older than his body, which looked at possibly 15 if you were pushing it, though unlike many others, they still seemed to sparkle with life. His blonde hair was dusty and shaggy, mostly covered by a hat which had seen better days as had most of his clothes. Probably a drifter until now Buck decided. It was the usual case of leaving home to make something of himself, and never knowing where you'd end up._

'_Buck Wilmington.' He finally decided to introduce himself. A smile lit up the boys face._

'_Chris Larabee.'_

'_You ever tried to carve kid?'_

'_Nah, Papa never had time for things like that, said it was a waste of our time.' Chris didn't expand any more than that on his family, and Buck didn't ask. If someone didn't volunteer the information then you mostly left it alone or else your own past was fair game. 'Ain't a kid neither,' Chris added almost as an afterthought, causing Buck to laugh loudly._

'_Course you ain't kid,' Buck retorted patronisingly and Chris snorted, rolling his eyes. Guess he'd gotten his measure of Buck already! 'D'you want to learn?' Chris' eyes lit up._

'_Sure.'_

'_Okay, so first things, you got a knife?'_

'I don't think anyone would ever believe you were the unfriendly one when we met either!' The other man gave a chuckle and grinned. 'I know I shouldn't be, god knows how patient you've always been with me, but your patience with me then still amazes me I was practically a stranger and I was awful at carving.' Chris reminisced with a rueful shake of his head.

'Just took practice, but please don't carve any more pigs.' Buck shuddered dramatically before gasping for breath as Chris elbowed him. Hard.

'It was a sheep.'

'Pig' Buck instantly argued.

'Sheep!'

'_So who are we carving these for?' Chris broke the silence between them as they sat in the bunkhouse with a few farm animals already carved around them._

'_Few for the orphanages and the rest probably for the kids of the whorehouses,' Buck replied after a moment's pause; wondering how much to say on the subject. Feeling the other mans questioning gaze, he continued. 'The kids in the whorehouses don't get much, most of those good Christian women of towns avoid them and all the charity goes to the orphanages, so I try and give them, I don't know, the acceptance maybe others won't.'_

'_A more Christian attitude than most of those so called people,' Chris gave a nod of approval, and a glance that suggested he knew more about Bucks past than Buck had told him, and yet he didn't say a word. Buck gave him a nod in thank; both for his approval of his plans and not speaking about Bucks origins._

'_That's looking like it'll be a fine pig soon,' the older man compliments Chris, changing the subject to the toys they were carving. Chris' head shot up, looking insulted._

'_It's a sheep!' Buck looked at the shape dubiously._

'_It's a pig!'_

'_It's obviously a sheep! Are you blind!' Chris began to lose his temper. _

'_I think you've been out in the sun too long, that is a pig!' Buck snorted, not caring one bit about Chris' temper. Of course the first thing that was thrown at him was the aforementioned sheep/pig, followed quickly by Chris lunging at him. Buck laughed as they began to brawl. It wasn't as serious as when they were at the saloon, but enough that they would feel the bruises the next day._

'Remember I whooped your ass then, and I'll whoop you again now about my poor little sheep!' Chris mock threatened, age had slowed his temper a little and more of his and Bucks fights were verbal now rather than when they were 18 and 15.

'I think you're beginning to have memory problems as well as sight problems cause I whooped your scrawny little ass back then and it was still a pig!'

'Fine then, let's have a rematch!'

'Fine!' Buck rose to his feet slower than he would have done when he was younger, and grinned ruefully as he watched Chris do the same. They really were getting old!

'Uncle Chris! Uncle Buck! Mama says you need to get ready for dinner!' A child's voice yelled through the house through to the shed.

'Coming Rachel!' Buck called back and a second later there was the sound of the door slamming as the child ran for her food. 'She gets more and more like JD and Casey everyday!'

'Tell me about it. She's making me greyer every day.' Chris agreed. 'Don't think this is doing to get you out that rematch though.'

'I will make you regret that challenge kid.'

'I think I outgrew that nickname a long time ago,' Chris snorted as they made their way over to Casey and JD's house.

'Nah, you're still that scrawny kid that sat and watched me carving all those years ago, just a bit more experience now.' Buck disagreed mildly. Chris didn't reply, only placing a hand on Bucks shoulder as they walked. What else needed to be said? 'Still a pig,' Buck muttered earning himself a thump from the other man.

'Sheep.'

'Pig.'


	2. Chapter 2

**Author: Cha-Cha**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the chow or the characters so please do not sue.**

**A/N: Thank you everyone who has read this fic and especially those who reviewed.**

**Trecebo: Thanks for your review. Glad you're enjoying it.**

**Peppermint Girl: I wanted to show a different side to Chris that wasn't as bitter as he was in the series. I also thought Buck has so many big brother tendencies, why not start with Chris!**

**Millie2077: I have to admit, I also think Chris is older than Buck, but I love the idea of Buck being the 'older brother'. I'll do my best to include a bit more of the family in the next chapter.**

**Tobic: I have to admit I probably won't include Mary in this fic but as it's a wip, I never really know where I'm going to go!**

'This is going to take us a while isn't it?' Buck rolled his shoulders as he tried to take out the kinks from his back. The hours of hard work wouldn't have bothered him when he was younger, but now it seemed as though his body was conspiring against him.

'It's alright old man, I can cover for you,' Chris mocked his friend, but still put his own tools down. It had felt a lot quicker the first time they had done this.

'Excuse me! Who was the one who had to cover for who when they couldn't cope with a full day on a horse!'

'I was 15! I'd only been riding a year, and never for long.' Chris immediately protested.

'_You alright kid? Looking a little stiff.' Buck finally called over to his riding partner. They had been out checking the fences for three days amd sleeping under the stars each night instead of returning to the ranch. The first day, Chris had been enthusiastic, or rather, as enthusiastic as anyone could be checking fences. However, as time passed, he seemed to gritting his teeth more and more._

'_I'm fine Buck. Let's just get this done,' was the growled response he received._

'_Kid, we can take a break if you need it, this is back breaking work,' Buck instantly stopped his horse in front of Chris', forcing him to stop as well._

'_I can keep up.' This time the growl was accompanied by a glare that would have put more than a slight edge of fear into most other people. Buck however was not most other people._

'_I'm sure you can kid, but if you wear yourself out too quick you won't last. Sometimes slower is better, and I have been pushing you pretty hard.' Chris said nothing. 'You've never worked on a ranch before have you?'_

'_Why do you ask?' Guess Buck had hit a nerve as Chris was now on the offensive. Any indication Chris couldn't handle something was enough to put his back up. He knew that only age and time would cure that, so until then he would just have to back his friend up in fights and patch him up after. Maybe he ought to be teaching his friend some fighting skills! It would save a lot of pain and healers bills..._

'_Staying on a horse all day is tiring. Doing the work we do is tiring and then to sleep on the ground all night and do it again tomorrow is a bad combination. Give it a few years and you'll do this no problem.' Chris relaxed slightly at the explanation Buck gave._

'_How long have you been doing this?' Chris asked after a few moments pause._

'_Three years, I was about your age when I started here.' Buck nudged his horse forward at a slightly slower pace than before and the other man followed. 'First time on a ranch and I struggled. There was another guy here then, Kayden, never did know if that was his first or second name, but he took me under his wing, taught me what I needed to know about working here.'_

'_So now you're doing it for me.'_

'_Only partially, mostly I'm doing it because you're my friend and I don't believe in making friends suffer when they don't need to.'_

'_Thanks Buck,' Chris gave a small smile. The silence lasted for what felt like an age as they reached their final part of the fence to check. 'It was a mine I grew up at. My dad was a miner and he wanted me to be one too. I lasted three weeks before I couldn't take the dark and small spaces, left the next day and eventually came here.'_

'_My Ma was a working gal. She did her best to look after me on her own; she was amazing. After she died though, I didn't know what to do, but somehow I ended up here,' Buck reciprocated, refusing to meet Chris' eyes. Most people seemed to view the children of working girls the same way they did the mothers of the children._

'_She must have had a lot of strength to do all that on her own.' Buck finally met Chris' eyes and the two men shared a smile. Not much more was needed to be said after that._

'_Looks like we're finally done.' Buck stretched, popping his back loudly._

'_Guess we'd better head back. It's getting late.'_

'_Eh, if he complains I'll just say it was my fault.'_

'_Thanks Buck.'_

'_Anytime pard, anytime.'_

'Six Horses.'

'Pardon?' Buck looked over at his friend, slightly puzzled at what he was talking about.

'Six Horses; that town when I covered for you.'

'I was sick!' The memory came back to Buck quickly. Six horses had been a very small town they had been working in a year or so after they had left that Ranch where they had first met.

'So? Still covered for you didn't I old man,' Chris shrugged as though it made all the difference.

'_Chris, help me get my boots on,' Buck tried to shout, but all that emerged was a hoarse whisper. He was sat on his bed, most of his clothes pulled on while his boots were still to the side of the bed. Sweat was pouring down his face and it was easy to see how much effort it had taken him to get that far._

'_Sorry Pard, you ain't going anywhere,' Chris made a snap decision and instead began trying to remove the clothes Buck had just put on, dodging Bucks flailing as he tried to prove he was fit enough to work._

'_But I'll lose my job, he hates me enough already.'_

'_I'll have it covered.' Chris tried to reassure him, not at all sure how he was going to do that, but he was mostly sure he could think of something that would cover for his friend. It seemed though he wasn't as convincing as he had hoped he was as Buck instantly began trying harder to stay dressed. 'Buck,' Chris growled, 'trust me.'_

'_You are my best friend Christopher Larabee, and I would trust you to watch my back any day of the week...' he paused as a yawn interrupted his speech._

'_But?' Chris raised his eyebrows as he finally pushed the far too hot man back into bed and pulled his blankets up._

'_You cannot bluff for anything, your face gives everything away pard,' Buck replied sleepily, as much as he tried, he could not keep his eyes open. His eyes opened again a minute later, or so it felt to see a smug looking Chris sat on the bed opposite reading a small book he had picked up in the previous town._

'_Morning Pard,' Bucks voice sounded even worse than before he'd gone to sleep._

'_Evening is more accurate.' Chris smirked as he carefully replaced his bookmark in the book and set it down on the bed._

'_I slept all day?'_

'_Two days actually.' Buck winced but couldn't find the energy to sit up in horror. 'Your fever was pretty high so I doubt you really remember the bits you were awake for. The fever broke a few hours ago.'_

'_I'm fired then?' Buck asked, resigned to what he was certain his fate would be._

'_Have a little faith in me why don't you! In fact, we are now the bosses favourite employees.' Buck only raised his eyebrows. 'One of the hands ran off with the Bosses money, so I volunteered us to get him back. Left you in the care of the Priest we met last week and caught the guy. Boss was so pleased he's given us the rest of the week off paid.' Buck could only stare in amazement at the luck his friend had. 'I know, I know, I am brilliant it does need to be said!'_

'_I think your head just grew about three sizes! But thanks pard, I do trust you, knew you'd come through for me.' Buck could feel himself starting to drift off again, the conversation had taken a lot out of him. 'Thanks for covering for me.' Before he fell asleep, he thought he heard his friend's final quiet words._

'_Every time, anywhere pard, always.'_

'I think of the scrapes we've gotten into over the years and I am amazed at what we've gotten away with thanks to relying on each other.' Buck finally decided. 'Guess we got a good history for covering for each other.'

'Guess we do pard, yes we do.' The two men sat back, leaning against the wall of the barn as they just stared at the started cradle.

'Buck! Did you eat my newly baked pie!' Vin's normally shy and quiet wife yelled from outside the barn.

'Still willing to cover for me?' Buck instantly shot to his friend quietly.

'Only if you've got a slice for me as well,' Chris fired back in a whisper.

'Course I do!' Buck looked mock scandalised as he pulled out the two slices he had 'liberated' earlier and handed one over.

'Sorry, can't have been Buck, he's been with me all day in here,' Chris called out, and the two men breathed a sigh of relief as they heard her footsteps walking away, muttering under her breath about pie thieves.

They almost felt sorry for the next person she cornered.

Almost.

'Here's to old age and deviousness,' Buck saluted with his slice.

'Here's to friendship and may it last many more years,' Chris toasted back.

'Hear hear!'


	3. Chapter 3

**Author: Cha-Cha**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the character nor the show so please do not sue.**

**A/N: Thank you everyone who has read this, especially those who reviewed.**

**Trecebo: I agree, everyone needs fresh pie! I hope it does show they are close friends because I found on the show it was mostly skimmed over and there weren't any real little bits to show their friendship.**

**Cassandra30: Glad you're enjoying it, and I must agree, normally I would slash the pair; however, I was asked for gen, so maybe sometime in the future I'll have to do that...**

**Yammy1983:Thanks, I'm pleased you like it!**

Buck pulled the blanket over the cradle, wrapping it up tightly before placing it back in its resting place behind his and Chris' workbench. There weren't many people who entered the barn, all the kids knew there were a lot of tools lying around, and so they were banned from there. The other adults had left it as a haven for Chris and Buck. They all knew the two men would allow the kids to roam anywhere in their houses, and so they allowed them some privacy in one place on their land.

The previous few days had been very hectic with half of the children falling ill with the flu. Nathan had been rushed off his feet with fevers, runny noses and one large splinter Josiah had managed to contract while feeding the horses.

Buck left the barn, shutting the door behind him and made his way back to his house. It was late and he was tired, but looking around, it seemed as though everyone else had had the same idea as him, and was in bed already as no lights were visible from outside.

Chris hadn't helped him that evening with the cradle as he had been helping Vin with his daughter. They had been trying to get her to sleep with her cough for the previous few days and so had been too tired to help out that night.

Climbing the stairs, Buck stripped down to his underwear and crawled into bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

For a moment Buck couldn't work out what had woken him, well, only for a second. The moment the freezing feet hit his leg was enough to instantly awaken him. Amy, Nathan and Rains younger daughter was snuggled in his bed.

'Hello sweetie,' Buck murmured, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to keep her warm even though they were snuggled under the blankets.

'I had a nightmare,' Amy whimpered, burying her head into Buck's neck.

'Do your parents know you are here?' She shook her head.

'Couldn't wake them. I just wanted you and Uncle Chris; can we go and see him?'

'It's the middle of the night sweetie.'

'Please.' Buck never could resist a female when they asked him for something, as Chris would mock him, some things never changed.

'_Was it another woman?' Chris demanded as he and Buck raced out of town as fast as their horses could take them. When one of them said it was time to go, you didn't ask questions until you were far away from wherever they were. It was not the first hasty escape they had made._

'_She asked for help, what was I supposed to do?'_

'_Double check if she's married first.'_

'_She wasn't.'_

'_Make sure no one will take offense, especially the Sherriff,' Chris groused but not really angry. He never could blame Buck for helping people, especially his inability to ignore a woman in trouble._

'_Well I couldn't have predicted that one.' Chris rolled his eyes._

'_Was she at least pretty?'_

'_Gorgeous, she had these enormous brown eyes that seemed to look into your soul and brown hair that shone in the sun.'_

'_She's a horse isn't she?' Chris knew he shouldn't be surprised and yet even after three years Buck still managed it. Buck just waggled his eyebrows before turning more serious. A female in trouble was always a serious matter no matter the species._

'_He was beating her; you could see it plain as day.'_

'_So you set her free into the wild; that animal magnetism sure is on full strength today.' He joked trying to diffuse the situation. 'When did you first realise it was the Sherriff's horse.'_

'_Oh, pretty quickly pard!' Chris couldn't help the laugh that burst out and Buck wasn't far behind. They may not be able to return to that town, but at least they had nothing to regret he reasoned. _

'_Some things never change.'_

'_You'd hate it if I ever did Chris.'_

'_You wouldn't be Buck if you didn't save every female you met.'_

'Come on then.' Buck resigned himself. Getting out of his nice warm bed, he scooped her up, making sure she was well wrapped up against the night before heading over to Chris' house. He had just stepped out when he spotted Nathans front door was open.

'Amy with you?' Nathans voice called out, not sounding too worried.

'Yeah, nightmare, just wanted me and Chris to be with her for a bit.'

'Thanks Buck, I'll collect her at breakfast.' Nathan gave a nod before re-entering his house while Buck carried on towards Chris' house next to his. Without bothering to knock, he quietly let himself in and headed down to Chris bedroom.

Unsurprisingly, loud snores filled the room as his friend slept. Buck had shared so many rooms with him over the years there was very little he didn't know about Chris' sleeping habits, for instance that he liked to sleep with his blankets as high up to his head as possible and normally kept a gun not too far from his hand.

'Chris, Pard, we have a guest.' Buck spoke in a normal tone, knowing anything else would probably startle the man into grabbing his gun.

'I think I have two guests,' Chris sleepy voice grumbled as the snores abruptly stopped.

'Uncle Chris I had a nightmare,' Amy finally spoke up from her blanket cocoon. Buck sat down on the edge of the bed next to Chris, who wiped his face and sat up, starting to pay attention to the scared little girl on his bed, Amy immediately grabbed hold of Chris' night shirt, the blanket slipping off slightly. Realising it was still cold out, Chris moved over slightly and helped her under his covers, Bucks blanket falling to the floor. It didn't take long until the two men realised she was out cold, and unfortunately still had a very healthy grip on both of the men's night clothes as only a child can.

'Guess I'm going to have a bunk mate tonight,' Chris resigned himself as they observed their niece.

'Thanks pard.' Chris scooted even further over on the bed helping Amy to move with him while Buck slipped into the bed on the other side jostling the young girl as little as possible.

It wasn't the first time they had shared a bed, during the war as well as times when the hotels and saloons they had stayed in only had one bed and neither had enough money for a second room.

'This remind you of anything?' Buck asked as he settled down, both men wrapping an arm around the sleeping child.

'How could I forget? Sarah always laughed her head off at the memory of that.' Chris smiled at the memory while Buck gave a small chuckle.

'_Daddy, I miss Mummy, when is she coming home?' Adam wined to his father as he flopped himself onto his Uncle Bucks bed while Chris looked his son sceptically from where he was sat at the kitchen table nearby. The house wasn't large and so during the day, they tried to keep the house as open as possible to give the four of them as much space as they could. Their plan was to enlarge the house as soon as they had a little more money so they could all have a little more privacy._

'_She's only been gone a few hours, and she'll be home tomorrow.' Adam just groaned._

'_Don't tell me we're that awful to be around kid?' Buck boomed as he bounced onto his bed as well, grabbing his nephew around the waist and began tickling him. Chris put his book down and joined the pair of children, one slightly overgrown._

'_No! Daddy make him stop! Make him stop! Daddy!' Adam pleaded, and taking mercy on his son, Chris turned on his friend, knowing all of his ticklish spots._

'_Traitor!' Buck yelled and the fight was on as allegiances changed from second to second until the need to breathe was too strong and the three of them lay across the bed gasping, chuckling when they could manage it._

'_What were you reading daddy?' Adam finally asked, rolling onto his stomach and looking up at his father._

'_Well, it's called 'Around the World in 80 Days' by Jules Verne.'_

'_Is it good?'_

'_Very good Adam.'_

'_Can you read it to us Daddy?' It seemed that was the way the evening was going to go as Chris was hardly one to deny his son such a simple request. While Chris got up to go to the kitchen for his book his book, Buck made Adam change into his pyjamas and climb into Buck's bed as they settled down._

'_My goodness boys, if I had known you would prefer to share a bed I would have made you build a bigger one!' Sarah snorted out as she stared at the two men and Adam who were all snuggled in, her laughter walking all three of them._

'_Mummy!' Adam leapt out of the bed and into his mother's arms, already telling her every detail of the night before._

'_She's never going to let this one go is she? Buck mumbled, refusing to properly wake up, not really caring that Adam was no longer in between the two men as they snuggled back into the warm._

'_Not a chance, we'll be 90 and she'll be telling our great grandkids about this.' Chris replied as he rolled over, facing away from Buck as he returned to sleep._

'_Daddy!' Adams yell startled him awake again, 'Mummy says she's cooking breakfast of you and Uncle Buck can separate yourselves.'_

'_And so it begins, out of the mouth of babes,' Buck groaned as he began to sit up. 'Coming dear.' He called out to his sister in law._

'_Coming Love,' Chris echoed._

'I think we've got away with it,' Buck yawned as he looked down at his still sleeping niece.

'Mmmm,' Chris was as eloquent as ever in the morning. Old habits of rising early were hard to shift, especially after years of working on a ranch. Buck was always up early as he made the breakfast for the early risers, and somehow in the last few years, Chris had begun to join him, just chatting about anything that had happened or how their nieces and nephews were doing. It was their time.

Leaving Amy still asleep in the bed, the two men quickly dressed (they both kept spare clothes at each others houses as you never knew when it would come in useful) and headed down to the kitchen. Chris sat down at the table in the kitchen while Buck began to pull out the ingredients for breakfast.

'I miss her.'

'Me too, she taught me to make breakfast you know.' Buck agreed, smiling fondly at the memories.

'Sounds like my Sarah.' Chris grinned, still amazed that he could now smile the memories without the crippling pain he had before, that wasn't to say it wasn't painful but he could smile about it.

'_I am going to teach you to make breakfast,' Sarah declared, surprising Buck who had been carving yet another horse for Adam. His nephew probably had enough horses to have more than one herd, but the way that Adams eyes lit up every time he received one meant he was going to receive a lot more._

'_I'm sorry?'_

'_You and Chris need to be able to cook if I'm not here. I've taught Chris a little and now you are going to learn to make breakfast so when I leave Adam with the two of you, he won't starve.' Sarah threw an apron at the other man and turned back into the kitchen. She wasn't talking no for an answer._

'_Yes ma'am.'_

'_See, the army did teach you something!'_

'_Nah, just a lot of mama's spoons reinforcing my manners,' Buck joked 'my backside was always black and blue.'_

'_Well whatever her methods, she raised a fine boy, and you are moulding Adam perfectly. Of course, you are a fine boy who can't cook, but a fine boy nevertheless.' Sarah grinned. Buck rolled his eyes._

'_Okay, I get the point, I give! I give! Teach me the magic behind your cooking,' Buck held up his hands, his eyes twinkling. He never could resist a ladies request. Demand. _

'I should have guessed really, it is so similar to the ones she used to make,' Chris waved a hand carelessly.

'I changed it slightly so it wouldn't bring back too much for you.' Buck admitted, refusing to meet Chris' eyes.

'Could you make one of her specialities today?' Chris finally asked after a pause and Bucks face lit up.

'I'd love to.'

Unsurprisingly for Buck and Chris, the food was a hit. Sarah always had a magic touch in the kitchen, a touch that seemed to have passed to her students.

It also seemed though that the end of breakfast was also the end of the reprieve for the two men from the mocking they were expecting. It was possible the others didn't know they had all slept in the same bed the previous night...

'You were right, Uncle Buck kept me safe in his arms and Uncle Chris scared off the nightmares just like you said! Nothing else would have fit in the bed with all of us!' Amy's loud voice interrupted the quiet that had fallen over the adults still at the table while the children played.

Guess they all knew now, Chris and Buck exchanged rueful smiles, especially as the other men's faces began to light up in delight at the prospect of such teasing material.

'Out of the mouths of babes' pard,' Buck rolled his eyes.

'Sarah would be making herself sick with laughter,' Chris agreed. They really were never going to hear the end of this.


End file.
